Hercules Rebuildable Atomizer (Ithaka Clone)

[dwcraig1]

Okay, big update. In my frustration and thinking it might be the unit itself, I tried building on another Ithaka clone from another vendor. Same problem. It came assembled but the center pin was not tight, so I tightened it. When I screwed down the ceramic housing assembly on to the feeding system, the center pin was still tight. I then screwed down the feeding system tightly into the base, then screwed down the ceramic housing assembly until it was tight. When I screwed it into the 510 adapter, put it on my mod and tested it, I got the same short. I unscrewed the ceramic housing assembly and the feeding system. I automatically noticed that the center pin was loose again. Is this possibly what is causing the problem? I know how well the Ithaka can perform when it's working, and through hell or high water, I'm going to figure this thing out.

The center pin was not tight enough probably, I am always amazed at how tight is has to be and doesn't snap in two during the tightening process. Be aware of coarse that it can break.
Every Oddy/clone, Ithaka/clone that I've seen so far have been shipped either loose or almost loose. Even after initial tightening that I find them loose again when doing the next build so I tighten it a little more than the time before, eventually it stays tight. Once tight there is not much reason to ever disassemble again unless to replace the ceramic.

Also when assembling the basic feeder ring and ceramic housing assembly to the base position the basic feeder ring on the housing so that the bottom is even with the bottom of the o-ring on the ceramic housing. Position the basic feeder ring where that you want it, probably screwed all the way down, then screw the ceramic housing assemble down tight enough to compress the o-ring and tight enough that adjusting the mouthpiece won't cause it to back out. Be sure to lube the o-ring with juice or a tiny amount of Vaseline, I use juice. This is how I do this stuff, others may have other methods.

 

[BigDaddio]

I have flooding issues.

The first time I built this it was pretty great, great vape etc. Seemed a little dry, didn't really pay attention to a few things. 3mm silica 2.2 ohm ready wires. Put the coils side by side. But like I said it seemed a bit dry and eventually started burning. So I rebuilt with 1.2 ohm wires in the cross over the hole. It starts out vaping well but soon floods. I took it apart, together etc 4 builds now and it floods like nuts.Tow or three vapes and it flood even with the flow closed completely! Why is it the KayFun comes with instructions etc but all these others don't even tell you how long to make the wicks? BTW the wicks are not on the flow holes. The last build I made was side by side using 2mm ecowool.

Any Ideas?

 

[dwcraig1]

@ BigD, try to keep the top of the ceramic full of wick, I generally use 3 mm silica with 1 strand removed from each piece. Each coil has an added short piece of 3 mm silica added to the coil across the top. I usually snip out 1 or 2 more strands from the wick going down the channels.
Make sure the small cap on the very top is screwed down on the tank top all the way.
This is how I do side by side dual coils on Ithaka or clone.

 

[meowmixmeow]

Are the wires exposed on the sides in the channels? Are the legs completely between the rubber o ring and center pin, with no legs exposed? I had a short before, burnt the O ring and it smelled pretty bad. I'd prefer the smell of a car burning rubber than smelling that burning smell in this tank we all have here. My problem was that I wrapped the negative wire between the negative nut, but I forgot that once i wrapped the two negative wires, the ends were peaking out a bit, and the ends were facing the positive wires on the ceramic side. Big fail for me? Yes. Was I too lazy to check everything over? Yes. So much wasted juice in this tank before getting it right, but I don't regret all the failed attempts as well as gurgling when I'm 2 hours or more away from home. Bleh, just rambling. Sorry for the excess in this post. Don't forget some Vaseline for them o rings.

 

[m00nshake]

@ m00nshake
This video is more to the point

And be sure to post your progress if you would.

Good news. I watched this video carefully, disassembled the entire Ithaka, re-assembled it, making sure to align the center pin exactly as you suggested and as in the video, tightening the post with the o-ring snug with pliers, and it worked without any short or issues. The post not being tightened enough was definitely the problem.

A word of warning to anyone buying an Ithaka clone. When you receive it in the mail, it is assembled, but do not assume that it was assembled correctly and that you can just start building it. Both of the Ithaka clones I received must not have been assembled properly. The Hercules I just recently received out of frustration proves my point. I remember the post being very loose, so I tightened it with my fingers, but not enough. I didn't even check to see if the center pin was centered when I tightened the post. It's possible that wasn't assembled properly to begin with, either.

I'm not blaming the vendors, but the manufacturers should either ship it disassembled, or the vendor should state clearly on the Ithaka product page that it is recommended to disassemble and assemble correctly so people know that in advance before buying it.

I can't thank dwcraig1 enough for sticking with me through this and for providing all of the information, videos, and pictures. You're the reason I was able to get the problem resolved.

Cheers,

~m00n

 

[dwcraig1]

Now every time you have the ceramic housing out of the base for re wicking check to see if it is still tight.

 

[Scope666]

Now every time you have the ceramic housing out of the base for re wicking check to see if it is still tight.

Like Bishopheals does, tight as you can by hand, and then the needle nose for just a smidge more.

 

[dwcraig1]

I freak every time I see a reviewer stick a screw driver that's way too small in there.

 

[BigDaddio]

I have mine working pretty well now, god knows how. I did rebuild it before reading the response to my issues. It has something to do with how I screw together the casing that contains the ceramic assembly. IF I screw it in completely first then screw in the ceramic business until it compresses the o-ring at the bottom it is leaky. If I assemble the stiff first and screw them in together it seems to work better.

 

[JuniorNA]

Guys I need your help with something that's driving me nuts .

Based on previous conversations via PM and on here I took suggestions for the washer on the pos post and also put a piece of rubber from a cartomizer (sliced in half so it's thin ) and used that between the post and the bottom of the metal housing . My
Problem is it I tighten too much I'm getting no readings on the meter .

Something is shorting out somewhere . Then when i finally get it going and get a steady reading -
I screw it into the feeder ring - and still it's fine for now ....

But once i screw the assembly and the feeder ring into the bottom base I lose the connection again and my multi meter shows 0.0 again. This is so frustrating because the problem shouldn't be here . It should be with flooding or dry hits but NOT with the connection at the rebuildable part .

The wires aren't touching the sides of the basic feed - and I get a res reading when I have just the feeder ring screwed on.


when I screw the entire assembly into the 510 base or
I think when I screw on too tight the pole touches the metal housing - . where that white plastic screw is that captures the negative wire .

But I've tried plastic - rubber - and hard plastic to make sure they don't touch but it doesn't get better

I'll try to get a pic to post

 

[JuniorNA]

Edit - I think the reason is the fact that

On the very first day I broke a piece of the ceramic - and part of the coil was touching the metal . If that side of the coil was the negative it would work but if by chance I used that side as positive / well it was touching the metal instead of all ceramic until it gets to metal center pole - henceforth lies the short .

I think that's the issue

 

[dwcraig1]

Edit - I think the reason is the fact that

On the very first day I broke a piece of the ceramic - and part of the coil was touching the metal . If that side of the coil was the negative it would work but if by chance I used that side as positive / well it was touching the metal instead of all ceramic until it gets to metal center pole - henceforth lies the short .

I think that's the issue

Due to wicking Terminators I have caught myself trying to wire the Ithaka backwards which will result in a short if done

 

[m00nshake]

Update: I've been vaping on this the entire week and it's still working well. The only trouble I've had is that when I first fill it, it gurgles a little and sometimes a little liquid leaks through the air hole. I'm not sure why that happens.

I'm interested to know why it would cause shorts if the center post is not tightened snug to the center pin. I know that the center post becomes loose when it is screwed down into the base, but what exactly causes it to short?

Thanks again for helping me fix my Ithaka trouble.

~m00n

 

[NamVet68]

Update: I've been vaping on this the entire week and it's still working well. The only trouble I've had is that when I first fill it, it gurgles a little and sometimes a little liquid leaks through the air hole. I'm not sure why that happens.
~m00n

The same thing will happen if you have a bad o-ring on the top nut. The Ithaka/Oddy uses a partial vacuum in the juice chamber as part of its design. it keeps the juice from seeping out . When you fill it with juice and tighten down the top nut, there is a slight overpressure for a few pulls, so a little juice gets forced into the ceramic chamber. If the o-ring on the top nut leaks, or isn't air-tight - your Ithaka/Oddy won't work as designed- it will gurgle, leak, and cause you all kinds of grief. You will get a few gurgles about 50% of the time after you re-fill, but the solution is simple - just tilt it horizontally for a few draws until the juiciness goes away...normally only takes 3-5 pulls and its good for the entire tankful.

Imeo (the designer) did a video back when the Oddy was first released explaining how it all works, but I haven't seen it anywhere for a while - It was in Greek anyway, but was subtitled.

Just takes a little getting used to....

 

[dwcraig1]

Update: I've been vaping on this the entire week and it's still working well. The only trouble I've had is that when I first fill it, it gurgles a little and sometimes a little liquid leaks through the air hole. I'm not sure why that happens.

I'm interested to know why it would cause shorts if the center post is not tightened snug to the center pin. I know that the center post becomes loose when it is screwed down into the base, but what exactly causes it to short?

Thanks again for helping me fix my Ithaka trouble.

~m00n

If you mean when the center post is not tight in the ceramic housing... it is because the positive wire get turned to where it touches the negative wire, when you disassemble it turns back then you don't see it.
If the basic feeder is closed and the mouthpiece is closed when you fill it there should be no flooding during filling.
If flooded, close mouthpiece and "sling" it out or blow it out, open mouthpiece and try again, still flooding then you got a problem.

 

[m00nshake]

Thanks for the replies. The basic feeder is closed and the mouth piece is closed when I fill it, but I do get a bit of gurgling after filling. A little juice seems to leak out of the bottom as well. I have two of these so I can swap the top nut to see if the oring is the problem. What other things cause it? What's odd is that it only happens when it's full. It's at about 25% full now and it doesn't happen at all. I will report back when I fill it next time and try blowing it out with the top nut tightened down.

 

[JuniorNA]

My problem is if I tighten the ceramic housing (rebuildable part) too tight into the base - either the oring is flattening out so much that the pos wire is moving - or the center pole is pushed in so hard that it's touching the ceramic housing and shorting out . When I first took it apart I lost that little black (some are white ) plastic gear that separates the 510 post and the housing . I've been using rubber and plastic washers but eventually they warp and the post ends up touching and shorting out .

I tried dws idea of those wall anchors and I've even use the rubber stopper that comes with cartomizers and I can't win - so now the only way I'll get a reading is of the rebuildable part is only a little tight - not loose enough where the MP will move it - but not tight at all .

Then it will work just fine - no leaks but I don't like the fact that it's not screwed down tight into the bottom housing

 

[Innocuous]

Just send it to me, I'll find a use for it. Get a Kayfun/lite/plus/russian/91%/rocket.

 

[JuniorNA]

Just send it to me, I'll find a use for it. Get a Kayfun/lite/plus/russian/91%/rocket.

Lol I swear I never thought I'd have issues like this - now the thing is shorting out somewhere and getting hot as hell. Either wires are touching inside or Something is loose - I can't win .

I put it on 3 mech mods hoping it was the mod and each one got burning hot .

Gonna rebuild again (bangs head against wall)

 

[Innocuous]

Hey, I was only half-joking.. The term-c lacks tank sections; yer ithaka will fit fine ;-)
My ithaka became an ithafun and is the new sofa-vape while the term-c idles and the 91% goes to work with the Rocket as a sidekick ;-)

Lol I swear I never thought I'd have issues like this - now the thing is shorting out somewhere and getting hot as hell. Either wires are touching inside or Something is loose - I can't win .

I put it on 3 mech mods hoping it was the mod and each one got burning hot .

Gonna rebuild again (bangs head against wall)